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drawingboard lessons in residential design by bud dietrich Second-floor additions for a ranch house d uring the 1940s and ’50s, countless ranch houses were built throughout the country. Efficient and inexpensive to build, these houses generally were designed to accommodate folks looking to settle in the suburbs as quickly and as inexpensively as possible. The resulting single-story ranch-style homes had small kitchens, small bathrooms (often only one), and small bedrooms. Built before the television era, they had no family rooms or large gathering spaces. While these houses were perfect starter homes for many, they were left wanting as families grew and lifestyles changed. The small and modest ranch just didn’t work after the kitchen had become the primary gathering and entertaining room and now that couples wanted their master bedroom to become a retreat. The good news is that ranches are adaptable and expandable. Over the years, many of them have been remodeled to accommodate the needs of a new generation. Basements have been finished, and firstfloor additions have been used to create larger kitchens and great rooms as well as first-floor master suites. Where the property is too small to allow for a first-floor expansion or where the homeowners just don’t want to reduce their yard space, a ranch can be expanded upward with a new second floor. While designing a first-floor addition that looks like it has always been there is often straightforward, designing a second-floor addition can present a host of design hurdles. This is especially true if the existing house will continue to be occupied while the new second floor is being built. Because ready for a remodel Most 1950s-era ranches were about 40 ft. long and 30 ft. wide. These houses typically had 8-ft.-high ceilings and a simple gable roof. A common exterior finish was brick, especially in the upper Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic states. In some areas, these houses had full basements, many of which were finished into recreation rooms that provided casual gathering areas that the houses lacked. To expand such houses, first-floor additions are possible. But for many of them, the only way to add space is to go up. the potential for bland Any time you make a house taller, it’s important to consider how the additional height will affect the proportions of the exterior elevations. A ranch remodeled with a new flooring system built over the existing ceiling structure takes on the height of the new second floor and then some. Without a good design, the exterior can easily become disproportionate, bland, and unappealing. 92 FINE HOMEBUILDING